Methods and apparatus for detecting aircraft surface deformations

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for detecting surface deformation of aircraft surfaces are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a sensor system to monitor an aircraft surface, the sensor system including a first sensor and a second sensor. A surface monitoring system receives signals from the first sensor and the second sensor and based on the signals received, the surface monitoring system is to: detect a surface deformation on the aircraft surface; analyze one or more environmental conditions or aircraft parameters; and classify a severity of a detected surface deformation based on the one or more environmental conditions or aircraft parameters to determine if the detected surface deformation impacts aircraft performance or safety.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising:
 a sensor system to monitor an aircraft surface, the sensor system including a first sensor and a second sensor; 
 a surface monitoring system to receive signals from the first sensor and the second sensor, based on the signals received the surface monitoring system is to:
 detect a surface deformation on the aircraft surface; 
 analyze one or more environmental conditions or aircraft parameters; and 
 classify a severity of a detected surface deformation based on the one or more environmental conditions or aircraft parameters to determine if the detected surface deformation impacts aircraft performance or safety. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including an alert detector, the alert detector is to generate a scaled value based on the detected surface deformation and the one or more environmental conditions or aircraft parameters to classify the severity of the detected surface deformation. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the alert detector is to cause an alert generator to initiate an advisory alert when the scaled value is less than a lower limit of a threshold range, a cautionary alert when the scaled value is within the threshold range, and a warning alert when the scaled value is greater than an upper limit of the threshold range. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 2 , further including a first sensor data evaluator to compare a first reference model of the aircraft surface to a first current model of the aircraft surface provided by the first sensor to detect the surface deformation on the aircraft surface. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , further including a second sensor data evaluator to compare a second reference model of the aircraft surface to a second current model of the aircraft surface provided by the second sensor to detect the surface deformation on the aircraft surface. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , further including an obscurant determiner to detect obscurant conditions. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the alert detector is to ignore signals from the second sensor data evaluator when the obscurant conditions are greater than a threshold value, and the alert detector is to receive signals from the first sensor data evaluator and the second sensor data evaluator when the obscurant conditions are less than the threshold value. 
     
     
       8. A method comprising:
 monitoring an aircraft surface via a first sensor and a second sensor, 
 receiving signals from the first sensor and the second sensor; 
 detecting a surface deformation on the aircraft surface based on the received signals; 
 analyzing one or more environmental conditions or aircraft parameters; and 
 classifying a severity of a detected surface deformation based on the one or more environmental conditions or aircraft parameters to determine if the detected surface deformation impacts aircraft performance or safety. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further including generating a scaled value based on the detected surface deformation and the one or more environmental conditions or aircraft parameters to classify the severity of the detected surface deformation. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further including initiating an advisory alert when the scaled value is less than a lower limit of a threshold range, initiating a cautionary alert when the scaled value is within the threshold range, and initiating a warning alert when the scaled value is greater than an upper limit of the threshold range. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , further including comparing, via a first sensor data evaluator, a first reference model of the aircraft surface to a first current model of the aircraft surface provided by the first sensor to detect the surface deformation on the aircraft surface. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further including comparing, via a second sensor data evaluator, a second reference model of the aircraft surface to a second current model of the aircraft surface provided by the second sensor to detect the surface deformation on the aircraft surface. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further including determining obscurant conditions. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further including ignoring signals from the second sensor data evaluator when the obscurant conditions are greater than a threshold value, and receiving signals from the first sensor data evaluator and the second sensor data evaluator when the obscurant conditions are less than the threshold value. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:
 monitor an aircraft surface via a first sensor and a second sensor; 
 receive signals from the first sensor and the second sensor; 
 detect a surface deformation on the aircraft surface based on the received signals; 
 analyze one or more environmental conditions or aircraft parameters; and 
 classify a severity of a detected surface deformation based on the one or more environmental conditions or aircraft parameters to determine if the detected surface deformation impacts aircraft performance or safety. 
 
     
     
       16. The computer-readable medium as defined in  claim 15  comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to generate a scaled value based on the detected surface deformation and the one or more environmental conditions or aircraft parameters to classify the severity of the detected surface deformation. 
     
     
       17. The computer-readable medium as defined in  claim 16  comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to initiate an advisory alert when the scaled value is less than a lower limit of a threshold range, initiate a cautionary alert when the scaled value is within the threshold range, and initiate a warning alert when the scaled value is greater than an upper limit of the threshold range. 
     
     
       18. The computer-readable medium as defined in  claim 16  comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to compare, via a first sensor data evaluator, a first reference model of the aircraft surface to a first current model of the aircraft surface provided by the first sensor to detect the surface deformation on the aircraft surface. 
     
     
       19. The computer-readable medium as defined in  claim 18  comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to compare, via a second sensor data evaluator, a second reference model of the aircraft surface to a second current model of the aircraft surface provided by the second sensor to detect the surface deformation on the aircraft surface. 
     
     
       20. The computer-readable medium as defined in  claim 19  comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to determine obscurant conditions. 
     
     
       21. The computer-readable medium as defined in  claim 20  comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to ignore signals from the second sensor data evaluator when the obscurant conditions are greater than a threshold value, and receive signals from the first sensor data evaluator and the second sensor data evaluator when the obscurant conditions are less than the threshold value.